A simple principle is at stake in Canada's TV war

I don’t for a minute buy the cable companies’ spin that it will amount to “a tax on TV” if Canadian television broadcasters win their fight to be paid for content that they produce and the cable guys distribute. So maybe it’s a stretch to post a link to my Vancover Sun column on the subject to my Taxing Issues blog. But here it is anyway.

There’s a lot of spin, from both sides, in the ever-hotter spat over this issue, but it shouldn’t be allowed to obscure the rather simple central point in the dispute: Can one group of companies sell a product produced by another group of companies without paying for it?

You’ll get no bonus points for guess where I stand on the issue. But if you want to read my more detailed analysis, please click here.

The Center for Media Research has released a study by Vertical Response that shows just where many of these ‘Main Street’ players are going with their online dollars. The big winners: e-mail and social media. With only 3.8% of small business folks NOT planning on using e-mail marketing and with social media carrying the perception of being free (which they so rudely discover it is far from free) this should make some in the banner and search crowd a little wary. <a href =”http://www.onlineuniversalwork.com“”_blank”>smallbusiness/a>

I could see the broadcasters issue if the cable companies did something like strip out the original commercials and substitute their own. All the cable companies do is provide an alternative delivery route. If I use a taxi to take my groceries home from the supermarket; should the supermarket get a payoff from the taxi company? The real issue with TV (as other commentators have noted) is that the government forces me to purchase access to channels that I do not want and never watch to advance the political agenda of the government. As long a both broadcasters and cable companies tacitly support that agenda, neither has my support.

The cable companies like Shaw quietly increase basic cable rates by $2.00 (6%) last month. This is almost three times the inflation rate. We have been bombarded by the cable companies of another tax on us. These cable companies pay nothing the the local TV companies and make tons of profit. Why don’t our local TV companies transmit. I will be more than happy to use an antenna. I am tired of cable companies.

Drop the requirement for cable companies to carry the local broacasters signal and if you want local, they all transmit in HD, get a HD antenna and there you go. Better yet, upgrade the technology into the 21st century and let me chose and pay on a channel by channel basis. Amazing we have 200+ channels and most of them repeating the same dribble and re-runs.

Don, the issues being presented by both parties in the media campaign are indeed red herrings. Besides the massive air-time being devoted to this issue by cable and local program providers, I received e-mails from both with pre-written letters they requested I submit to the pending CRTC hearings. I have submitted on “behalf” of both parties with their supplied text replaced with the following. I believe that there are 3 real issues: 1 – The monopoly of cable and satellite distribution needs to be de-regulated (similar to telephone) in order to allow market competition. The monopoly was initially provided to allow the installation of high cost infrastructure, it should now become a “public” facility. 2 – Any broadcast programming that contains commercial advertising should also be broadcast in a no-charge medium (needs to coordinate with US digital OverTheAir digital transmission bands). This would entail a relatively small infrastructure cost that would likely need “financial” support for a period of time. 3 – Canadian content needs continued regulatory support due to the proximity of the massive US industry. I encourage all readers to make their submission to the CRTC in order that they consider the consumer’s issues.

Are u serious? I am on the cable companies side but why not compromise? Charge the cable companies the fee but then give consumers the choice if they want to drop the Canadian networks and pay a lower monthly bill. It’s 2 large sides going at it without the consumer being considered. Welcome to big business and little consumers